Internal-combustion engine



Nov. 27, 1928.

s Sheets- Sheet 1 G. A. KOLB INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE I Filed Aug.1925 Z IN vewrok 014%. r 7' o mv: Yo.

G. A. KOLB v INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE- Nov. 27, 1928.

Filed Aug. s,' 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet IN VEN r01? a? $64. $004. flTroR/VEy;

G. A. KOLB IN TERNAL COMBUS T I ON ENG I NE Nov. 27, 1928.

3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 5, 1925 I/v vavroR #756441 Error: 7

Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

- GEORGE A. KOLB, 0F BEDFOBD, OHIO.

I INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed August 3, 1925. Serial No. 47.775

I, The present invention relates to internal combustion engines and moreparticularly'to the mounting of inlet and exhaust valves, the valveoperating mechanism and the mounting thereof upon the engine.

Among the most important of its objects, the present invention aims toprovide an engine in which the operation of the valves 1S renderednoiseless, in which the wear on the valve operating cams and partsengaged thereby is automatically taken up without affecting theoperation of the valves and 1n which the valves "andvalve seats arereadily accessible for inspection, cleaning, repair or replacement.

, A further object of the present invention is to simplify the valveactuating mechanism and to so position the entire mechanism that it isreadily accessible for inspect-ion and reair.

p A further object is to pfovide an engine in which the valves and valveoperating mechanism are carried by the head and are removable therewith.Q

A further object is to reduce the number of cams required to operate thevalves.

A. further object is to provide a construction in which both the valvesand valve seats are embodied in units readily removable from the headwithout removing the same from the cylinder block so that the valves maybe easily removed for cleaning or grinding or a worn valve unit may bereplaced by a new unit.

A further object is to provide a hydraulic valve operating system inwhich there is a minimum loss of oil due to leakage and in which any oilwhich leaks from the system is utilized for lubricating purposes. V

A further object is to utilize a vertical shaft at the end of the enginewhich is driven from the engine crank shaft for actuating the valves andfurtherto utilize said shaft for operating the water pump of the enginecooling system and the distributor for control- 0 ling the firing of thecylinders.

A further object is to provide an engine in which the valve actuator,water pump and distributor are mounted as a unit upon the engine. 1

A further object is to provide a driving connection between themechanism on the head and the engine drive shaft' which will permit saidmechanism to be lifted with the head in its removal from the cylinderblock.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said tocomprise the engine and parts thereof, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings hereinafter described and particularly set forthin the appended claims, together with such variations and modificationsthereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which theinvention appertains. a

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through theengine head and cylinder block showing the inlet and exhaust valves forone cylinder and showing diagrammatically the hydraulic valve actuatingmechanism, the cam casing forming part of the valve actuating mechanismbeing shown in horizontal section; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of theforward portion of the engine head, a portion of the actuating unitcasing being broken wa and shown in axial section, the upper portion ofthe casing being shown onthe section lineindicated at 2-2 in Fig. 1 andthe lower part thereof on the section line indicated at 2 ofFig. 1; Fig.3 is a perspective View of the head,-showing the piping to the valveunits on the head; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one side of the headshowing a construction in which the main oil passages are formed in thehead; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 isan enlarged sectional detail view showing the attachment of the valvestem to the valve actuating piston.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the cylinder block of the engineis indicated by the numeral 1 and the piston shown in Fig. 1 isindicated by the numeral 2. The cylinder block 1 is Water jacketed as acommon practice in the art and has detachably -mounted thereon a waterjacketed head 3 which has a depressed central portion 4 in which thespark plugs 5 are mounted and raised side portions 6 extending alongopposite sides thereof. The inner side of the head 3 is formed toprovide a spherical concavity 7 at the upper end of each of thecylinders, the cavity 7 forming an, extension of the chamber above thepiston into which the inlet and exhaust valves and the spark plugproject, the valves being located upon opposite sides of the concavityand the spark plug at the center thereof.

, The head 3 is also provided with inlet and exhaust passages 10. and11, these passages extending from the opposite sides of the head towardthe center thereof and being connected with inlet and exhaust manifolds(notshown) on opposite sides of the head. An in let and exhaust port isprovided for each cylinder and these orts are located in alignment onopposite sides of the cylinder. v

The inlet and exhaust valves are preferably in the form of unitscomprising a valve cage and valve removable bodily from the head. Eachof the valve units is identical with the others and a description'of onewill suffice for all. The valve cage is in the form of a threaded plug12 which screws into any one of the inclined openings formed in theraised portions 6 of the head. The plug 12 is provided with a head 14which engages against the outer side. of the engine head when the plugis screwed into place, the head 14.

K being of polygonal form so that it can be engaged by the wrench forscrewing into or out ofthe opening; At the inner end thereof, the

plug 12. is provided with a port 1 which opens at the end thereof and atone side,

the port 15 being adapted to be aligned with either of the passages or11 of the head, depending on whether the plug is positioned on the inletside or the exhaust side,

The inner end of the plug has a conical valve seat 16 formed thereinaround the port and outwardly of the port 15 the plug is provided withan axialbore 17 and a counterore 18 extendin from the outer end thereofinto which the is mounted in the plug and'is provided with a conicalseat 21 adapted to fit upon the conical seat 16 at the inner end of theplug when the valve is in closed position. The valve 19 has a stem'22,which extends through the pressed outwardly to normallyh'old the valvebore 17 into the counterbore 18 and is connected, at its outer end, to apiston 23 which has a sliding fit in the counterbore 18. The

valve stem 22 has a tapered outer end 24;" which fits in a taperedsocket in the piston 23 andthe tapered portion of the stem is providedwith a key 25 which engages a groove in the tapered socket of the piston23 to hold the piston against rotation with respect to the valve stem,the piston being secured to the valve stem by means of a tap bolt 26extending through the piston from the outer side thereof into the outerend of the valve stem.

As shown in Fig. 6, a packing disk 27 fits loosely on the stem 22 at theinner side of the piston 23 and a ball bearing 28 isinterposed betweenthe piston'andthe disk to permit the piston and valve to rotate freelywith respect to the disk. The piston 23 and valve 19 are in closedposition means of a coil spring 29 which is interposed between thepacking ,disk 27 and the "shoulder at the inner end of .the

counterbore 18. The mounting of the valve" on the freely rotatablepiston permits free rotation of the valve during its operation so bore17 opens. A valve 19 that the valve and valve seat are subjected touniform wear throughout and the conical en gaging surfaces thereon.

' The outer end of the counterbore 18 is it closed by a threaded plug 30and the outer portion of the counterbore 18 forms a pressure chamberadapted to receive: fluid pressure through a lateral inlet bore 31 inthe head 14: of the plug for shifting the piston 23 and valve 19inwardly to open the port liiat the inner end of the plug 125. Sincetheplugs 12 are identical and interchangeable, any valve unit will serveto control either the inlet or exhaust port of the engine cylinder, theValve 19 controlling the-inlet or exhaust through the port 10 or 11. Inorder to accurately position the plugs 12 with the ports 15 thereof,

in alignment. with the ports 10 or 11 of the head, the head 14 of eachplug carried a screw 32 which is adapted to be screwed inwardly intoengagement with a socket 33 in the head,

the screw 32 and socket 33 being so positioned with respect to the,ports 15 of the plug and 10 or 11 of the head that when the screw 32 isin alignment with a-socket 33, the port 15 is in alignment with eitherthe port 10 or the port 11, accordingly as the plug is mpunt ed on theinlet or exhaust side.

The pistons 23 and valves '19 are preferably actuated in opposition tothe springs 29 by hydraulic pressure, oil being preferably used totransmitthe pressure to the piston.

In order to dispose of any oil which may leak to the inner side of thepiston, there is provided a drain passage 34: in the engine head whichleads from a, port at the inner end of low the counterbore 18 andcommunicates with a an extension 38 at one end of the head. The

case 37 isin the form of a casting having integral bottom and sidewalls, the side walls 39 being relatively thick and having formedtherein, upper and lower sets of radially disposd cylinders 40. Thecylinders 40 of each vset are regularlyspaced and correspond in numberto the number ofinlet or exhaust valves in the engine, the pressurecylinder of each valve unit being connected toone of the cylinders 40and the inlet valve units being connected to one set of cylinders 40 andthe.

exhaust valve units'being connected to the other'set. 7

Each oil conduit'36 has an enlarged portion, 40 which has an outwardlyflared end clamped'in fluid tight engagement in an enlarged outerportion of the-cylinder 10 by the gland nut 41. A piston 42 is mountedin each of the cylinders and each piston bears, at its inner end,against one of the cams 43 or 44 which are fixed to a vertical shaft 45which is positioned axially of the casing 37.

A body of oil is confined between each of the cam pistons 42 and thepiston 23 in the termined speed causing the cams 43 and 44 tosuccessively open the inlet and exhaust valves in proper timed relation.

Means is provided for maintaining a predetermined "olume of oil at apredetermined minimum pressure between each cooperating pair of pistons42 and 23 so that the extent of movement of the valves will not bevaried by reason of variations in the volume of liquid interposedbetween the co-operating pistons. The casing 37 is provided with a coverplate 46 forming a fluid tight chamber in which the cams 43 and 44 areenclosed and means is provided for keeping the cam chamber full of oilto thoroughly lubricate the camsand to make the operation thereofnoise-- less.

A supply tank 47, which may be mounted I on the dash of an automobile onwhich the engine is mounted, is provided for supplying oil to theconduits 36 and to the casing 37. This supply tank 47 is provided with afill-- lug opening 48 and with an outlet pipe 49 communicating with thebottom thereof which has branches 50 leading to each of the conduits 36,each branch50' having therein a' check valve 51 which permits oil toflow into the conduit 36 to whi'chthe branch isconnected, but preventsescape of 'oil from the conduit 36. Communication 'is' establishedbetween the interior of the casing 37 and the oilsupply tank 47 througha conduit 52 which is in communication with the interior of the casing37 and which is provided with a Valve 53 which permits oil to flow intothe cam chamber but prevents reverse flow. I

An air-pump 54, which may be mounted on the instrument board of theautomobile, is

provided for creating air pressure-above the level ofthe oil in thesupply tank 47, the

pump 54 being connected by a pipe 55 with.

the upper portion of .the tank 47 The air' inlet'to the tank is providedwith a check valve 56 which permits air to be forced into the tank butpreventsescapethereofl A low air pressure is preferably maintained inthe" upper portion of-the tank 47, this air presclosed position. Inorder to prevent splashing of oil within the tank 47, the interior ofthe tank may be provided with suitable baffle plates 47 a which act toretard the movements of the body of oil within the tank.

' The shaft 45 has a detachable driving connection at its lower endformed by a transverse groove 57 across the lower end thereof and atongue 58 across the upper end of an aligned shaft 59 which has a bevelgear 60 at its lower end meshing with a bevel gear 61 on the crank shaft62 of the engine. The bevel gear 60 preferably has just twice the numberof teeth on the bevel gear 61 so that the shaft 45 is driven at one-halfthe speed of the engine crank shaft which is the correct speed for thetiming of the inlet and exhaust valves.

To drain the oil from the system each of the conduits 36 may be providedwith a drain cock 63 and in order to determine the presence or absenceof oil in the tank 47, the tank may be provided, adjacent the bottom,with a drain cock 63 .The bottom of the casing 37 is hollowed out toform, with the upper face of the head to which it is attached, a pumpcasin 64 in which is mounted a turbine rotor 65 which is fixed to theshaft 45. he extension 38 of the head is provided with spaced ports 66and 67, which communicate with the pump chamber 64 and with inlet andoutlet passages 68 and 69 formed in the cylinder block. The passage 68communicates with the lower portion of the radiator and the passage 69leads to thewater spaces inthe cylinder block and head. A distributor 70 ismounted upon the upper end of the shaft 45 to control the passage ofcurrent to the spark plugs for igniting the fuel charge in the enginecylinders.

The pump, the valve opera-ting cams and the distributor are thus mountedas a compact unitat one end of the cylinder head and are all readilyaccessible for. inspection or repair. Furthermore. upon removal. oftheengine head, the entire valve operating mecha nism, the water pump and.distributor areremovablewith the head and when thehead is replaced uponthe cylinder block, operative connection is made between the mechanismon the head and the-engine crank shaft. by the engagement of the shaft45 with the shaft 59.

Figs. 4 and 5 showslightly modified constructions in which the oilpassages extend through -the engine head longitudinally thereof..In'this modification, each raised portion 6* of the head has passages 3a formed therein along the inner side thereof, the passages 36*-extending from the forward end of thehead adjacent the cam casing topoints adjacent the valx e plugs, the lowermost pas;

sage 36 extending the rearmost plug the: uppermost passage extending tothe forward.

plug and'theothers to intermediate plugs. Alng the outer side, the headhas a longitudinal passage way 49 formed therein and this passageway isconnected at one end by a short pipe to the oil supply tank and theother end by'a hort pipe to the cam ca sing Adjacent each of the valveplugs the passage 49* is connected to one of the passages 36 and withthe interior of the valve plug. This last-mentioned connection is madeby short detachably connected pipe sections, the valve plug having ashort nipple 71 projecting from the inletport thereof, which isconnected by a union 7 2 with a T-fitting 7 3 which is in turn connectedby threaded sleeves T4 and 7 5 with elbow sections 7 6 and 77, which aredetach ably secured to the head in communication with the passages 49*and 36. Each of the connecting sleeves 75 has a check valve 7 8 thereinwhich permitsfiow of 'oilfrom the supply passage 4:9 to the valveplugcylinder and to the passages 36 leading therefrom to the cylinders inthe cam casing but which prevents the oil from being forced back intothe supply passage 49.

The modification above described, 'diflers from the modification firstdescribed, only in that a considerable portion of the piping iseliminated by forming the passages in the body of the head. In theoperation of the engine. the inlet and exhaust valves 19 are dperated inproper timed relation by the cams .43 and 14 which are driven at theproper speed from the engine crank shaft. Proper pressure being.maintained on the oil interposed between the cam engaging pistons 42 andvalve pistons 23 by means of the air pump 54 which may beoperatedwhenever it is desirable to increase the air pressure acting onthe oil in the tank 47. By reason of the fact that the cams 43 and 44and the pistons 42, which engage the cams, are immersed in oil, theoperation of thecams will be practically noiseless. By reason of thefact that the pistons 42 .are held against the cams with a definitepressure; due to,-the pressure of air on the oil in thesupply tank 47,anywear between the cams and pistons will be automatically com pensatedfor and there will ben'o knocking orhammering of the piston faces due toimperfect engagement with the cams. By

mounting the valve plugs in oppositely inclined positions, as shown,theplugs'are made readily accessible so that they can be easily r inletand exhaust ports, is advantageous forremoved. -The locationof thevalves 19 opposite each other at the upper enclof the cylinder andthe-provision of aligned horizontal the reason that the gaseous fuelmixture flow;-

ing into the cylinder through the inlet port strikes against theeighaust valve and has a cooling act'ionthereon.

If any valve is in need of repair it can be readily removed withoutremoving thehead by unscrewing the: valve plug 12 in which it ismounted. The valve can be'readily remembers and one of the moved. fromthe plug by unscrewing the plug 30-at the outer end thereof and thenunscrewing'the bolt 26 which holds the valve stem 22-to the piston 23.The grinding of the seats 16 and 21 of the plug and valve is a verysimple matter vhen the parts are detached and a new valve or a new valveunit 2. An internal combustion engine having a cylinder block'with aseries of cylinders therein, a head having inlet and exhaust portscommunicat-ing with the cylinders, valves carried by the head for"opening and closing said ports, a vertical shaft journaled in theheadatone endthereof and geared to the crank shaft of the engine, a pairof cams fixed to said shaft, and means operated by the cams foropenmgand clos ng said valves in timedyrelation. a

3. An internal combustionengine having a cylinder block with a series ofcylinders therein, a head having inlet, and exhaustports communicatingwith the cylinders, valves carried by the head for opening and closingsaid ports, a vertical shaft geared to the crank shaft ofthe engine, apair of cams on said vertical shaft, and means interposed between thecams and valves for operating the valves.

. 4.,An internal combustlon enginehaving a cylinder block with aplurality of cylin ders therein, a crank-shaft beneath the block, a headhaving inlet and exhaust ports conimunicating with-the cylin'dei's,poppet valves carried by the head for opening and closing said ports, avertical shaft geared to thecrank shaft of the engine and extendingfrom'the crank shaft to the head, a cam'on said shaft,

a plurality of movable members engaging the cam at circumferentially spf 1ced points, and means interposed between each one of said the valves.r

5. An internal combustion engine having a cylinder block with'aplurality of cylinders therein, a head having inlet; and exhaust valvesfor actuating v ports communicating with the cylinders,-

poppet valves carried by .the head for opening and'closingsaid ports,valve' actuating and timing mechanism mounted on the'he'ad at one endthereof, means foractuatmg said mechanism from the crank shaft, andfluid pressure actuating means interposed between cylinders,

said mechanism and each of said-valves for operating the valves.

6. An internal combustion-engine having a plurality of cylinders, inletand exhaust valves associated with the cylinders, a verti-. cal shaftmounted on the engine and geared to the crank shaft, cams on saidshaftymeans interposed between the cams and valves for actuating thevalves, a casing through which the shaft extends, said casing beingconnected with the engine water cooling system, and a pump fixed to theshaft within the casing.

7 The combination with an internal combustion engine having a block witha plurality of cylinders therein and a head having inlet and exhaustvalves associated with the of a pump casing on the headat one endthereof and connected with the engine cooling system, a vertical shaftgeared to the crank shaft, and extending through said-casing, means foroperating the valves including cams on said shaft ad acent said pumpcasing, and a pump on said shaft within said casing. i L

8. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a blockwith a plurality of cylinders therein and a head having inlet andexhaust valves associated with the cylinders, of a pump casing on thehead at one end thereof which is' connected with the engine watercooling system, a vertical shaft geared to the crank shaft and extendingthrough said casing, means for operating the valves including cams onsaid shaft beneath sald pumpcasing, a pump on said shaft within saidcasing, and a distributor at the top of said casing and operated by saidshaftfor controlling the ignition of fuel in the engine cylinders.

9. An internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders andinlet and exhaust valves associated with the cylinders, said enginehaving an extensionat one end, a verticalj'shaft mounted in saidextension, means fordri-ving said shaft from the engine crank shaft,cams on said shaft, an actuating piston associated with each ofsaidvalves each actuating piston being connected to' a valve, 2.

second set of pistons grouped around said shaft and adapted to besuccessively engaged by said cams, and means for confininga bodyofliquid between each valve actuating piston and a piston of said secondset.

10. In an internal combustion engine hav ng a plurality of cylindersarranged side by side,

inlet and exhaust valves associated with each cylinder,.a'cam driven bythe engine crank shaft, circumferentially spaced radia'lly disposedactuating pistons bearing on said cam, and meansfpr confining a body ofliquid between each of said pistons anda valve for I actuating thevalve.

- 11. In an internal combustioii engine having a plurality of cylinders,arranged side side, inlet and exhaust valves associated w1t v nected toeach-valve,

- said cams, means shaft, circumferentially spaced radially dis- 1 posedactuating pistons bearing on each cam, means for confining a body ofliquid between each actuating piston bearing on one cam and an inletvalve for actuating the same, and means interposed between the actuatingmembers bearing on the other cam and the outlet valves for actuating thesame.

12. In aninternal combustion engine having a plurality ofcylinders,inlet and exhaust valves associated'wi th each cylinder, a separatefluid pressure actuating means for each valve, a vertically disposedshaft carried by the engine and geared .to the crank shaft thereof, andmeans connectedto saidoshaft for imparting pressure to actuating meansfor the individual valves successivelya 13. An internal combustionengine having a plurality of cylinders and a head, an inlet and anexhaust valve for each cylinder, said valves being mounted in the head,a piston connected to each valve, each piston being movable in acylinder formed in the head, a vertical shaft carried by the head andgeared to the engine crank shaft, a casing surrounds ing the shaft andhaving a series of radially disposed cylinders, v ineach of the radiallydisposed cylinders cams on the shaft, a piston bearing on one of theearns, and pipes con-' 7 necting each cylinderin the head with'acylinder in said casing.

, 14. An internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders anda head, an inlet and an exhaust valve for each cylinder,'said valvesbeing mounted in each piston being movable in a cylinder formed in thehead, a vertical shaft carried by the head and geared to the enginecrank shaft, a pair of cams on said shaft, a casing surrounding saidcams and having'a set of. radially disposed circumferentially spacedcylinders surrounding each cam, pistons in said radially disposedcylinders which bear upon said cams,and means the head, a piston con-'for confining a body of liquid between each cam engaging piston and avalve piston. 15. In aninternal combustion engine having inlet andexhaust valves, a piston connected to ea'ch valve, by the engine crankshaft; pistons bearing on for confining a body of 115. ,valve actuatingcams driven liquid between each valve piston and one of the cam engagingpistons. and means for maintaining a predetermined volume of liquid ineach body so confined comprismg a supply tank fined body of liquid,check valves preventing return fiow to the tank, and means'connectedwith the tank for supplying air under pressure to the tank above thebody of liquid thereing V 16. In an internal combustlon engine havmginlet and exhaust valves, springs for normalcommunicating with eachcon-.

1y holding the valves closed, hydraulic means for opening the valvescomprising a confined body of oil for each Valve, a pair of pistonsbetween which each body of oil is interposed,

5 one piston of each pair being connected to a valve, a cam engaging thesecond piston of each pair, a fluid tight casing enclosing the cams, andmeans for suppl ing oil under pressure to each confined b0 y of oil andto said cam casing.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

GEORGE A. KOLB.

